Strap into your seats, folks. It's officially time for betting on the 2022 NCAA basketball championship.
The 2021-22 NCAAB regular season is already underway, and oddsmakers have used the games played so far to tinker with the title hierarchy. Of course, this early into the year, current NCAA basketball futures still say Gonzaga will win the 2022 National Title. Should that be the case? Let's dig into it.
First, though, here's a look at the latest college basketball futures for the most favored schools in the country, courtesy of BetOnline:
| 2022 National Title Pick |  |
|---|---|
| Gonzaga | +525 |
| Kansas | +900 |
| Duke | +900 |
| UCLA | +900 |
| Purdue | +1100 |
| Texas | +1400 |
| Villanova | +1400 |
| Memphis | +1400 |
| Kentucky | +1600 |
| Michigan | +1800 |
| Baylor | +2800 |
| Oregon | +2800 |
| Alabama | +2800 |
| Illinois | +3300 |
| Arkansas | +3300 |
| Ohio State | +4000 |
| Houston | +4000 |
| North Carolina | +4000 |
| Tennessee | +4000 |
| Texas Tech | +5000 |
| Arizona | +5000 |
| Auburn | +5000 |
| LSU | +5000 |
| Xavier | +5000 |
| Michigan State | +5500 |
| Connecticut | +5500 |
| Maryland | +5500 |
| Florida State | +6000 |
Always make sure you're betting on the latest NCAAB National Championship odds. Linemakers will continue to move these college basketball odds over the course of the season. And if you need to find an odds provider to take your bets, we've reviewed the best online sportsbooks in the business.
2022 NCAAB Championship Predictions
Our best college basketball bets will take into account every contender laying 55-to-1 odds (i.e. +5500) or better as of November 23. If you're in the market for a more dark-horse wager, those NCAAB betting odds can be found at just about every sportsbook.
Should Gonzaga be the 2022 Title Favorite?
Plenty of bettors are concerned about Gonzaga. They were the consensus favorite to win it all last year and then laid an egg in the National Championship against Baylor (+2800). From there, they also lost top contributors Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert and Joel Ayayi. There's real doubt about whether they deserve to be the odds-on honchos here.
So far, the Bulldogs look the part. Their pending matchup with UCLA (+900) will have a lot to say about their stock, but they currently have the top adjusted offensive rating in the country, with an adjusted defensive rating inside the top 15. They are further buoyed by the return of Drew Timme, last season's KenPom Player of the Year.
Granted, you could easily talk yourself into other teams, namely UCLA, Kansas (+900) or Duke (+900). But Gonzaga absolutely belongs in the discussion as one of the top championship bets.
Better NCAAB Bet: Kansas, Duke or UCLA?
Speaking of these three teams, oddsmakers have them all on equal footing at 9-to-1 odds early in the season. Spotting meaningful separation between them is difficult. Kansas, Duke and UCLA are all poised to have elite years.
Still, Duke concerns us a tad. They need Wendell Moore Jr. to play like an MVP to keep pace with some of the heavyweights, and their defense has shown some light cracks on the perimeter.
Choosing between Kansas and UCLA is tough. We lean ever so slightly toward Kansas. The Jayhawks don't necessarily have a traditional No. 2 option, but their No. 1 option is so good it doesn't matter. Ochai Agbaji is averaging over 26 points while downing 71.4 percent of his twos and 41.7 percent of his threes.
Pairing him with a borderline elite defense gives Kansas the edge.
Better NCAAB Title Pick: Kentucky or Baylor?
Oddsmakers are not giving a lot of love to reigning-champion Baylor (+2800). On the flip side, Kentucky (+1600) is also currying less favor than usual.
For our money, we really like Baylor. They are not as deep as they were last season, but people are clearly sleeping on the overall product. LJ Moore is tallying unfathomable stat lines, and they have adjusted offensive and defensive ratings that both place inside the top six.
Kentucky has more individual name recognition. That's cool. It isn't everything. Their offense can look clunky at times and the defense has been a disappointment even after removing their loss to Duke from the equation. Unless a consistent second star can emerge alongside Oscar Tshiebwe, they feel a little bit like fool's gold.
2022 NCAAB Champion Pick
Far be it from us to continue riding the favorites wave, but honestly, what other choice do we have? The Gonzaga Bulldogs profile as that freaking dominant.
They have a bit of everything, even after losing players. Drew Timme, Chet Holmgren and Julian Strawther give them operable star power yet they have a tidy pool of depth featuring players who hustle on defense. Opponents are currently shooting just 28 percent against them from three-point land.
Combine this with Gonzaga's own efficiency—37.8 percent on threes and a whopping 63-plus percent on shots inside the arc—and it's tough to envision them getting derailed from their championship track.
Go ahead and use their upcoming date against UCLA as a barometer, but in the event they lose, don't let it function as a be-all. They'll remain our 2022 NCAA basketball title pick either way.
OSB 2022 National Title Prediction: Gonzaga Bulldogs (+525)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which ones to use for all your college basketball betting:
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